TC Regional PFD Meeting

The Tri-Cities Regional Public Facilities District holds its first meeting following the election primaries last week.

The main topic of discussion for the board was the failure of the aquatics center proposal on last week's ballots.

One-tenth of one percent sales tax increase would pay for the aquatics attraction.

It got a warm reception in Pasco, but the results were the opposite in Kennewick and in Richland, where it was denied by about 60 percent.

If the board decides to have a second go around with the aquatics center, it would not be on the ballot until next year. The deadline has already passed for the election in November.

President of the TCRPFD and the Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins says before they make any moves, they will need to analyze the discrepancy between the voters in the three cities.

"First we really need to understand what the public said. Why the difference from what our survey said, [which] suggested that 70-80% of the public would support point one percent sales tax and then only five percent at the ballot box did."

He also said the PFD had spent most of it's budget on the operation and before they would spend any further money, they would have to understand what the dynamic really is.

The total amount it would cost to build the facility is about $35 million.